HomeSeer Home Automation Software
HomeSeer helps you automate things around the home directly from your PC or even when you are away via phone, the Internet and email. It allows you to create events that the package will respond to and make something happen. This goes beyond simply turning on the lights at 6pm everyday.
Through the use of plugins HomeSeer's control capabilities can be expanded and can even control web cameras, X10 appliances, Z-wave, Infrared devices and lighting control systems from various manufacturers. HomeSeer version 2.2 even includes Z-wave support for Leviton’s new ViziaRF and Monster Cable’s IlluminEssence series of products with more on the way later in 2008.
Events are what drive the interaction of HomeSeer with the environment. For example if a motion sensor outside senses motion it would send a trigger, Homeseer would check any conditions "is it light or dark?" and if it is dark then do the action "Turn on a light" or "Activate camera." This is the fundamental control for devices through HomeSeer.
The great thing about HomeSeer is the multiple ways you can control it. It includes a web-based interface that you can use locally or when you are traveling to check, change or create an action or even activate one. This is also fully configurable so you can permit or deny actions that can be activated remotely. Another way to control the system is via a touchscreen or portable device like a PDA or smartphone. Certain skins in the software allow you to create a touchpad friendly interface. The third way to interact with the system is by voice, with a microphone or telephone connected into the system. Microphones could be placed throughout the house and managed by a central unit that was connected to the HomeSeer system so that you could say something very sci-fi like “Computer, lights" and the lights would turn off or on in that particular area. In regards to telephones you can either utilize a phone in the home or call in from a remote location and activate some portion of the system. This does require a compatible modem though. The voice command system is so smart that you can speak normally and it will understand, as in “on August 11th at 10pm turn on all the lights in the kitchen for 30 minutes.” This is included in the latest update of the software and makes automating the home by voice amazingly easy and powerful.
Now this might all sound rather daunting for a first-timer, but HomeSeer knows this and has a wizard or a tutorial for almost every action to help you through. There is also an advanced mode that you can use in the setup where you can do all the steps manually. For example to add a new event you would go to the setup menu, click Events and click Add Event. That sets you at the first of three pages to create the event. Creating the event is quite simple. It requires you to give it a name, decide if it will have a voice command via mic and/or phone, put it into a group if you have any and set some other options like logging and deleting etc. The second page lets you set the trigger type, days and time as well as if it is recurring and any conditions you might wish to apply to the trigger. The third page is all about the action you want to happen. You can either use a pre-existing action or create a new one that includes a variety of things like sending an IR signal, playing a wave file or activating/deactivating a device.
In the latest version 2.2 they have included calendar based scheduling for alerts, reminders and other events. So if you want something special to happen on someone’s birthday, certain holidays or specific days of the week or month it’s a snap to setup now. Plus you can even interface the system with your Microsoft Media Center machine or Apple iTunes media player.
The amazing variety of options can be overwhelming at times but the help files that are supplied are very good at helping you keep your head above water and not drown in the ocean of possiblities. If you are looking for a complete home automation package your research would not be complete without taking a look at this software. With the wide selection of compatible devices, depth of features and local as well as remote control access it may be one of the best packages available on the market. From installation to action only took approximately 30 minutes and required some light reading of the manual. This package could easily be picked up by a novice and be fully functioning with only a few hours or work, something not all packages are able to ensure.
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November 9th, 2010 - 03:08
some motion sensors are very expensive, specially those that are rated for industrial use “